Little Sisters
by BlackJackHazama
Summary: What if Kurama had a little sister?
1. Prologue: Sana

**Prologue: Sana**

 ** _I do not own YuYu Hakusho or Kurama or Shiori or any other character from the series that may show up. I only own Sana and her father. This project is a collaboration between me and Kuramasgirl19769. The entire story was her idea, I'm just writing it for her for characterization purposes. Thank you._**

"I'm sorry little one." He told her. "I tried my best, but without your mom, I cannot raise you on my own. I don't know how." He hugged her gently and kissed her cheek and placed her gently in her basket, along with a note asking that she be raised with lots of love. Her father looked at her again before walking away and looked up. "Please, please keep her safe." he prayed. And then he'd left, having placed her in her little basket on the front porch of a small, modest Japanese home that looked well-kept to all who approached. It was warm-looking, and happy. Inside lived a pretty black-haired and very traditionally Japanese lady who looked to be about in her thirties. The only other occupant was a boy whom, to all others, looked as normal as could be. Short black hair, with brown eyes that were warm and happy towards the lady who lived with him. He was tall, for a boy who'd just turned 14. Anyone else who saw him would only ever see a boy who respected his mother and loved her with all his heart.

But to others... they could see a truth behind a mask none knew existed. Red hair and emerald eyes that shimmered like the gems they took their color from. He was abnormal, but only to those who could see it, and those who could feel it. And those were few and far between. They existed, but they were sparse. To his mother, and people at school, he was known as Shuichi Minamino. But to those who saw behind the mask... they knew him as Kurama, a Great and powerful Yô-ko spirit that had once been the Scourge of the Demon Plane. The Makai hadn't seen him in 14 years now, and it was the fault of a hunter from the Underworld, one that had seen his scourge might one day break free of the Kekkai barrier that had been placed between the Demon Plane and the Mortal Realm. Instead, weakness from loss had allowed a hunter to nearly kill him, and he'd been forced to merge his spirit with the soulless body of an infant still trapped in the womb of a pregnant woman. The child would've been stillborn... if not for him. But now, here he was. Staring out of his bedroom window as a man retreated from the porch of the home he'd been living in since death had taken his old body. It was strange, to mortals, anyways. He may not be powerful again yet, but he was strong enough to smell a dirty diaper from 30 feet away at his front door. The man had left a baby on their front porch... and she was getting ready to start crying.

Something had to be done.

"Mother," he said as he started down the stairs. "I was looking out my window and saw a man run away from our front door. I'm going to see if something's wrong." She would've resisted, but she knew it was better for her son to check than her, because he had a better chance of fighting if someone was waiting at their front door. Shuichi was good at that... fighting. He had been since he'd turned 5 years old. She watched him open the front door with a measure of curiosity and anxiety, worried for her only child. But also wanting to know what he'd claimed to have seen only moments ago. When she stepped out behind him, Shuichi was holding a bundle of blankets that he must've picked up from the basket at his feet. He was cradling the blankets so carefully, like a professional doctor of some type, and the bundle was squirming slightly before he turned to show Shiori, his mother, a little 3 month old baby with a smattering of brown peach fuzz atop her head and blue eyes that were only just opening. Oh, she was so sweet!

"I think she needs changing..." was all Shuichi said as he handed her over and, whoo boy! Was he right! She must've been left unchanged for about thirty minutes! Shiori quickly went to her purse and gave Shuichi some money.

"Straight to the store! Any one that's open! Get diapers and wipes. If you don't know what to get, ask someone for help!" Her son nodded and ran off out of the still open front door, with her closing it behind him as he left. She knew he'd be quick. He was such a good boy. As she waited, she found a note pinned to the baby's blankets.

 _"Her name is Sana. And her mother passed away recently. I can't take care of her... don't know how on my own. I want her to have a good life, and your house looked so warm and inviting. Please take good care of her, and don't look for me. If she starts asking, tell her that mommy is in Heaven, and that daddy went to find her. And please don't look for me. I won't be here beyond Christmas. Get her everything she ever wanted for her daddy... she deserves it. Her birthday is September 28th."_ And that was it. All Shiori could assume was that Sana's father planned to follow her recently departed mother to 'Heaven' and it was so sad. When Shuichi got back with the diapers, Shiori handed him the letter, going off to change Sana with tears in her eyes, but a happy smile on her lips.

"Your big brother and I will take care of you, sweet girl. Oh Sana... I'm so sorry." She smiled sadly and then took the girl back to Shuichi after she'd finished changing her. The date was December 29.

"Happy birthday and Merry Christmas, my big 14 year old! You have a new baby sister, Sana!"


	2. Life

In the year since he had come to know the infant placed on their doorstep, much had happened, some of which he'd had no control over. But he'd been able to control what he did about it. He had power and ability, not as much as he'd once claimed. Heaven forbid he ever come into that much power again. Not while here... he had a mother... and now a little sister to look after. He'd been able to sew wounds shut, but not before a curious one year old, learning to walk quicker than she'd learned to crawl, could find them on him and be both curious... and a little worried. She was smart... for a ningen. Tiny, every time he held her, he felt she might break in a grasp that was too strong for humans to comprehend. But he was gentle... knew how to be. He'd seen babies in the Makai, and felt the same damn way as he'd felt now. That they might break. But never had he felt an attachment of the kind he felt now. And the pride in her intelligence that was beginning to manifest in his chest every time she did something even remotely faster than any human infant probably should.

It felt strange... such pride.

Then again, it would feel strange to him; he'd never cared before.

"Be careful, Sana." He called as she grabbed the side of the couch to begin trying to get up as she had done repeatedly for the past week. She was quickly getting the idea that holding onto something could help her do what she wanted better. That familiar feeling swelled in his chest as she wobbled a little bit and he resisted the urge to grab where his unbeating heart was. She was more adorable than he had ever thought an infant could be(or had ever thought one was before). This was just more proof that he had truly become more human than he had ever intended to when he began the process of this merger. Quick reflexes reacted as the girl began to topple over, and he had a hand on her back. Blue eyes shot up to the red-head suddenly over her, and were alight with joy and giggles as she reached out to the boy she was growing up with. Emerald green softened as she giggled and grabbed one of his long red forelocks, and he lifted her up, hugging her gently for a moment before then looking her in the eyes.

"Little spitfire." He teased easily, then laughing to himself.

"Fi-!"

Emerald widened slightly as his mother's head peeked around the corner. Shiori's brown eyes were alight with utter excitement as she ran over to Kurama and Sana.

"Oh! Her first word!" The elder woman grabbed her camera with a quickness that he understood had become natural to her now that she had a child in her life again. One that needed her much more than he ever had even when he was this age.

"Smile!" She called, and he did so as Sana giggle and hugged his head somewhat. Shiori was laughing as the picture began developing and whirring away inside the camera. That thing was almost full- he'd have to take it to get the pictures printed for her soon. Just another day in the life of a ningen. But for now...? For now he was quite content with exactly what he was doing.

 **One week later**

Emerald focused on work that was necessary to complete for an assignment he had said he would complete over the Christmas break for some manner of extra credit or... well, something. He barely even remembered that it had been exactly a year since Sana had been left on their front porch. Okay, that's a lie. He remembered, but it was in the back of his mind since he was multitasking at the moment. Mother had asked him to watch Sana while she went to run an errand of some sort, and so he was doing the assignment while keeping an fidgety baby playing with a little stuffed giraffe on his lap. The girl was usually very easy to watch, and right now was no different. After all, she wouldn't remember a little bit of magic. She was only one, and he needed to do this, so he had vines grown around her like a baby pack to keep her steady so he had free hands to work and she could still play. Of course, he could feel her drop her giraffe now and again to play with the vines, but he always got the giraffe back and gave it to her. Again and again and again. He had a lot of patience, and it was honestly more amusing than annoyance when she dropped the toy and started nomming on vines with nonexistent teeth. Sometimes it felt she was more canine than ningen. Cute...

The energy of his mother returning had him sending the vines away and taking Sana to his bed to actually play with her by hand so mother wouldn't say anything or suspect anything. She was putting things away in the kitchen by the time he had sat on the bed. It didn't take her long to put things away, though, and she came upstairs; smiling at him sweetly.

"Come downstairs with Sana, sweetheart." She gave him that bright smile that meant she had something under her sleeve. And of course she did, it was his "birthday" today, after all. His human one, anyways. His demonic birth date had passed only days earlier and he'd celebrated that on his own by remembering all the things he'd had to leave behind in a life that he'd been fond of. Moving on- yes, move on, Kurama. _Your life here is ten times better than that one ever could have been..._ He was lying to himself, of course. Not that this life wasn't good, it was, but he missed Kuronue. The bandits. He took a moment to lift Sana up, watching her expression. The girl seemed connected to him in more ways than he ever could have expected, because he was sure he had shown no emotion upon his lying to himself, but Sana's expression(she was **so** expressive) showed concern. Compassion. How could she even know what he didn't show?

No, had to be coincidence. Then again... her fascination with his hair was more than should be for anyone who saw black hair, not red. That was concerning. Did she have a strong sixth sense... or was this another Maya? That couldn't happen...

When he arrived downstairs, still thinking about his little sister and Maya, all he heard was a blaring of horns that made his ears ring slightly, and then the cake was presented to him and he laughed a bit. Putting Sana in her high chair and buckling her in, he moved back and took the cake with a smile.

"Happy birthday, Shuichi!" Shiori called, smiling happily as she grabbed her son and hugged him. Well, side-hugged in order to not mess up the cake she had gone to a lot of trouble to buy for him. It was entirely endearing and he was... well, he was touched. No one went to as much trouble for him as she always had. He was glad for that, of course, and loved her for it dearly.

"Thank you, mother." She nodded and took the cake and started cutting and whatnot and he stood by Sana's chair, leaning against the wall carefully. She enjoyed doing these kinds of things, really she did, and he knew that his mother was that type of woman. The kind who just enjoyed celebrating everything that she could be thankful for. Yes, that was the kind of person she was. And that was what he loved most about her... and that was why her recent condition had started to worry him. She wasn't terribly ill, but she'd been complaining of aches that she couldn't control, and that no ointment or salve was helping. Even some salves he had made from demonic plants(she didn't know that bit, of course) weren't helping. And that? **That** was the strangest part about whatever was wrong with her. Whatever it was... it was bound to get worse.


	3. Planning

February.

Two months after his birth month, and his mother was in the hospital. She had collapsed once back in January and been admitted. She'd been released because she seemed fine, but, all of the sudden, she'd been admitted full time and could barely breathe without an oxygen mask at times. The light hurt her more than anything else and half the time he and Sana visited, she was in the darkness. He always coaxed her to eat, but she barely had an appetite. Even a small apple was too much for her to bear, and he was leaving Sana with family friends more often than not so that he could still go to school like a good boy for his mother's sake. But he was taking care of the baby every day after school and the stress, while not too much for his constitution, was still nerve-wracking. It was time...

Time to accept Hiei's offer. The male had come to him only a week back, talking about stealing some demon artifacts from the Vault in the Underworld castle. Such prizes were there that begot riches reminding him of days gone by. The temptation was so much... but it wasn't just anything Hiei wanted to steal. It was the Artifacts of Darkness. The Forlorn Hope. The Shadow Sword. The Orb of Baast. Things that he would have liked to own back when he was a demon simply for the right to call them his own. These things were more powerful than he wanted to admit. And one of them... one of them could do exactly what he needed it to do right now. And he remembered the price. It was cryptic, and callous. But he was a wise old spirit, and cryptic was Kurama's cup of tea. He knew the price, and he knew that he was willing to pay it. Mother would mourn, but Sana wasn't old enough to remember him. And she would live on for Sana's sake if he gave his life for her. These were just the cold, hard facts. It was probably his fault she was sick, anyways. He'd been so cold to her for the first half of his life, and now she was so ill. He couldn't just let her die like this, and yes he could smell the death on her. He knew it was coming... but he couldn't let it!

"Alright, Hiei. Let's talk heist strategy." He said quietly after he'd left the house where he left Sana when he went to school. The fire demon(? He seemed so much more than that) was by his side in an instant, speed as deep as Kurama's own once was bringing him into sight as though he had teleported there in an instant.

"So you're finally in." He snickered a little, then gave Kurama a nod. "I've found a third who's willing to help, but he wants to meet you first, and be assured of your strength. I told him you'd be able to help. That you were once a legend with no contenders." Kurama's eyes narrowed dangerously, but Hiei stayed his course.

"I've seen files about you, Demon Fox. A legendary Bandit Lord who disappeared fifteen years ago. Some say you were killed, but I knew better after I sampled your energy. And did my research. You're dangerous. And I like danger." Crimson eyes flashed with an edge that Kurama could see and sense, and his own emerald hues went neutral once more as his expression softened to a natural show of no emotion. It had been his go to for a very long time now.

"So you know of me. Alright. That makes taking charge of this a bit easier. But are you sure that this third you've found... will be eager to help what looks human?" Hiei scoffed, looking away somewhat. His ears twitched in a telltale sign that made Kurama smile. A smile that hadn't seen his lips in fifteen years. It was a callous smile. A cold smile. A smile that showed that he knew exactly what Hiei was scoffing for. It was the smile that made his face look so devilish that, though no one but Kurama could see it, made a shiver run up the fire demon's spine. And **that** was no simple feat.

"He's a coward who balks at even the simplest show of power. A demon... who fears death..." and then Kurama started laughing. And Hiei knew he'd made the right choice.

Thus, the two walked to the forest where this third was waiting, and Kurama stopped to stare for a moment. A Kyu-kon-ki? Kami if this wasn't a sign of desperation- he would never have hired someone like this in his prime. And Hiei was right. A coward who thought he was a badass like any Kurama had ever seen before in his life. Even Yomi could have taken this idiot.. and Yomi **was** an idiot.

"Gouki. This is Kurama." Hiei's voice echoed callously towards the other demon. Kurama's hands lingered in his pockets as he waited for the other to either make introductions... or insults.

It was the latter.

"You ain't gonna tell me that **this** puny asshole is the one you got for the job?!" He yelled in a voice as rough as gravel and twice as irritating to boot. With a groan from Hiei and a sigh from Kurama, the two walked closer and Hiei nodded.

"This _puny asshole_ is a bandit of legendary repute, one that could lay you on your backside as quick as looking at you." Kurama appreciated that backing, since Hiei had only ever fought with Kurama once before, something that he knew Hiei remembered just as well as Kurama himself did. They had backed each other up... and trust was something that didn't come easily to either of them, he was sure. So for Hiei to say something like that of someone whom he had only fought with once.. he knew it was a big deal.

"Hold up... you're telling me that **this** is the bandit king you went out of your way to recruit?!" Gouki approached him, leaned down, and took a whiff, which made Kurama's eyes narrow slightly. That was a downright insult in fox terms, but he let it slide for a moment as Gouki began to laugh.

"His aura's pathetic!! And he smells human! Come on, fox king! If you really are so badass, then leap outta that skin and lemme see ya!"

"I can't. This is a merger. I cannot separate from this body any more than you can separate from those damn horns you're so proud of." He said calmly. Gouki flinched a bit before then leaning right down into Kurama's face. Personal space was going to be a big issue with this one, so he could see...

"Alright... then prove it! Lemme attack ya and we'll see how good you are... hehe..." the bigger demon was smirking, readying a fist to punch at Kurama. Before he or Hiei could react, however, Kurama quickly formed that lashing vine he was so proud of and slashed down a tree that almost fell on Gouki's head. He also left a couple of scratches in Gouki's clothes, smiling to himself. He could see the grin on Hiei's face, too.

"Satisfied, Gouki?" Hiei asked. The Kyu-kon-ki stared at his shirt after a moment, backing up and looking down at the tree trunk that had barely missed clobbering him(on purpose, of course). The whimper that went almost unheard was more satisfying than Kurama could ever have credited to anything but fear. And he could see the smirk on Hiei's face as crimson eyes closed in satisfaction. Gouki had been put in his place.

"Yeah. Sure boss. Whatever you say."


	4. Heist - Turned to Madness

**It's been quite a while guys. Sorry about the wait for this update, but I started writing this chapter and then couldn't think for a while. But I made it back and I think this chapter went smoothly. I hope it's going well for you guys! Again, I do not own YuYu Hakusho, it's characters or the storyline I am in the middle of. The only characters I own are Sana and her father, and the parts of the storyline not originally shown in the YYH manga or anime. Namely the heist and some of the content of Gouki and Kurama's first meeting. Everything else in this story has been my creation, with the original idea for this story coming from Kuramasgirl19769. This collaboration effort is so fun, and I am writing the story for her purely for characterization purposes. Thanks for reading and I hope you're enjoying it!!**

Everything was going smoothly.

They had gotten inside without a hitch, carefully cutting corners and each of them keeping a lookout for one another as they moved closer towards the Vault. This was game time. A hand went out as Hiei and Kurama stopped on a corner, letting a guard pass quickly off a hall to the left before they took off at a quick run. Fast enough to get there, but slow enough to keep the noise down. Couldn't do anything if they got caught early. Signals went by between them quickly and easily, something they'd been working on for a few days and had finally managed, despite Gouki's stupidity.

"There's a guard in the way." Hiei's voice echoed out, giving a calm sort of comfort to Kurama's aching nerves. At least **someone** was on the lookout besides himself.

"I've got it." Kurama answered before Gouki could say anything. The rose whip was out and had lashed onto a light fixture in the roof. He was up there and ready with another plant. This one was a paralyzing plant, and a little thorn darted out of it at Kurama's command, hitting the guard in the neck. He fell and stiffened after grabbing his neck in surprise, then the three demons took off. The vault was open in less than three seconds with Hiei's telepathy. That was when things went to shit. The vault alarm went off and a bag came out, the Artifacts of Darkness were quickly grabbed and put in. Hiei took off at his high speeds and Gouki went down a corridor on the right. All part of the plan. Separate so the guards won't know who to go after.

Kurama stayed here in front of the vault, taking out guard after guard with the paralysis plant before running off. The others must have had plenty of time to get to the portal back to Living World by now. Kurama heard yelling when he got close to the portal, then he saw Gouki battling it out with guards as he beat them down.

"Go!! Hurry, get out now!" He yelled as he ran towards Gouki and Hiei. They acknowledged and were gone in less than a second, and he was only an instant behind them. When they got out of the portal, Kurama looked at Hiei... and Hiei looked at him. And they both busted out laughing. Gouki scowled and walked away without another word as the fire demon and the Fox reveled in their triumph with laughter.

"We've done it, Kurama! Now, which Artifact will you hold onto?" Hiei asked with a smirk.

"The Forlorn Hope."

It was a second of confusion in Hiei's eyes, but he smiled and nodded.

"Don't do anything stupid, Fox. I need that item for my demon army, remember, and if you get it taken... well, I'll have to find you in whatever afterlife you show up in." Hiei's voice snarled out, a sort of irony hidden within his tone as his smirk slowly drained from his lips. He was not joking... and serious. And Kurama had been ready for that eventuality. Hiei trusted him, surely, but not to a point where he could simply let Kurama have what he wanted. He was probably going to be watching the Fox. Gouki had probably already gone off to harvest souls with his item. He was a soul-eater, and this item would make his prey so much easier to eat. That... Kurama was sure of: and he hadn't even known Gouki long enough to know how he liked his souls, but Kurama was assuming raw since Gouki had taken the Orb of Baast. But that was all irrelevant. It was time for him to bide his days until the full moon. That was that... right?

How wrong he did not know he was.


	5. The Boy

It had been a week since the heist, and news reports were talking about children who were collapsing, going into comas and whatnot. They were toddler age, so he wasn't exactly worried about Sana, who would be inside and untargeted by Gouki's search for appropriately aged souls to steal. That was why they were collapsing and going into comas after all. He probably hadn't eaten any yet. Saving them until he was hungriest, that way he could really enjoy them. No, he wasn't worried about that.

What he **was** worried about... was the young boy with black slicked-back hair, harsh but joyful brown eyes that bespoke a wish to fight... and pay back a debt, wearing a green school uniform they had seen two days after the heist. The encounter hadn't been long, as he had left after the boy had appeared. Or... so it had seemed. He had stayed behind and hidden in the treetops because Gouki's hard head was like to make him stay behind and bash the boy's head in. Kurama didn't want anyone to get hurt on his account, because this had been about saving a life, not taking them. Hell, he hated those asshole Underworld guards. But he'd killed none. That **wasn't the point.** The point was saving his mom. Sana deserved a mom to care for her. Not an older brother who was still more demon than human. Digressing from the train of thought that day was hard, but he had to focus on what was going on. And his trust was won by a young human with spiritual powers that were growing by the second, in accordance with a tangible growing anger that was a fire being stoked by Gouki goading the boy on with the souls of the younglings the Kyu-kon-ki had already stolen the past two days. But he could feel the cautiousness that the boy was using to fight off Gouki with. His current weakness, though... while it wouldn't remain long, it was a hindrance to his goals. But Kurama's plans were already forming. If this boy who called himself "Yusuke Urameshi" didn't die at Gouki's hands... Kurama could use him. Kurama could save the rest of the world from Hiei's plans by using this angry asshole of a child.

That was what he wanted and it was the best plan he could come up with to sacrifice his own life to save his mother while keeping the items away from Hiei. But it was just a side plan for now... until he knew if Yusuke could win.

Now.. to wait and see.

Yeah, that had been his mindset. And now it had been the full week and Gouki still hadn't been stopped. It looked like Kurama's plans would have to turn away again. He would have to go back to one of his old plans. It was frustrating as all hell...

Then Gouki's youki vanished. The beligerrent energy that was Gouki's entire being was just **gone.** And Yusuke was all that was left. There was no mistaking the scent and feel of this energy. And it was already stronger than the first time Gouki and Yusuke had fought. A smirk leapt onto the Fox's lips and he left his house to confront the boy.

It was time.


	6. Ring of Truth

Confrontation.

Yusuke had felt him coming from half a mile away. He'd planned it, not that Yusuke knew so, but the approach was slow. Reassurance in the form of a telepathic message had Yusuke reeling, wondering, planning with that blue-haired girl whether or not to show up at the hospital. Kurama could hear it all... and the fact that the boy actually thought to trust him simply because Kurama seemed powerful... seemed like he could kill Yusuke without a second thought... and why would Kurama even try to ambush the boy at a hospital if he could kill him so easily!

The boy was an utter fool!! And a complete **fucking** genius... Kurama was a bit astounded that someone from the school Yusuke came from(Hiei wasn't the only one who did research) could be as smart as Yusuke was. Then again, the boy had "street cred" as the locals called it. He was a tough kid who had never lost a fight, and hardly started them unless he was pissed for some just reason. People were scared of him, but they saw a righteous side to him, too. Classmates Kurama had talked to spoke of how Yusuke was misunderstood by many teachers in their school because they didn't care. Except for their principal/guidance counselor. He was always trying to talk to Yusuke... to help him. People spoke of Yusuke's mother, Atsuko, a drinker with a similar sense of righteousness but who treated people more harshly than Yusuke could. They talked about how two teachers, one rat-faced, and one prejudiced as all hell against the "punks" in school, talked shit about Yusuke when they all thought he was dead after saving a boy from death in a car accident.

So **that** was the case. Yusuke had died in that accident. The blue-haired girl with pink eyes must be a pilot of the River Styx. A maiden of death. And that meant that the Enma of the Underworld or his Son had offered the boy resurrection because he wasn't meant to die, and the ordeals he'd been through to come back to life had to have revealed great spiritual ability and they'd made him a Spirit Detective. And a punk ass kid with a sense of justice like his could **always** be trusted to do the stupidest, most imbecilic things in the sense of righteousness. Kurama was quite suddenly reminded of a certain bat and he would have broken right there if he didn't have things to do.

His mind then turned to Keiko. She was the brunette girl that he had seen, her brown eyes shimmering when spoken about Yusuke. Sometimes with anger in his general directions, but most times with a happiness that bespoke of a love she understood subconsciously, but could not bring herself to fully feel consciously. She had a trust in him, from what his spying had foreseen. And a faith in him that was almost utterly unshakeable. And she was the link in the truth of his power. It seemed that she was the reason he kept going and the real reason he had passed the ordeals in coming back to life. Their love was a subconscious but very tangible thing. Something they didn't realize and all of this _damn sappiness_ was getting to him. He understood it to a degree he never would have as the Bandit King. And that hurt more than he understood. Just the knowledge that he understood that feeling. That he understood what was going on between them because of his mother. Ugh.

Alright, his mind had gone way off track at this point. Focus, Kurama. Just focus. So where even had he been going with this?

Right.

Yusuke would be useful. That was the point. The boy had finished off Gouki with a flourish of those street smarts that he was famous for all over his side of town. It would be easy to let him listen and decide what to do about what Kurama was planning to do, especially since a measure of Yusuke's mind already had gone on to trust Kurama just because the boy hadn't been murdered by the Fox, even though Yusuke felt he could. It was an interesting conundrum, but Kurama also had a modicum or faith and trust in a boy he'd never met, but had been impressed by.


	7. The Bell Curve

A baby in his arm was not the badass introduction he'd been planning when Yusuke came to see him. But the boy couldn't understand his reason unless he met Kurama's family. It was about time that the ruse came to light in the Spirit Detective's eyes. Yeah, Kurama had used Hiei quite harshly in this instance, but Hiei had used him, too. A pawn to get all the items, but Kurama'd had his own pieces on the chess board. Albeit, some had been hidden from his sight until now, but all was going better than his original plan. Now mother could be safe even after he was gone, because a certain Spirit Detective could save everyone's lives. He had every reason to when the girl he loved but would not admit to loving was here in this realm, too. This was a culmination of so much effort on everyone's part.

"So, you did come." He said as the young human approached. Sana was playing with one of the redhead's forelocks on the boy's walk towards them, and Yusuke looked as confused as anyone could look when he saw the child playing with Kurama's hair.

"So, what? Do demons kidnap babies when they're just meeting for conversation now?" Yusuke deadpanned, staring at Kurama with what could be discerned as a righteous fury, but also a certain curiosity in his gaze.

"The truth will come in time. Follow." That was all Kurama said as he led Yusuke up to his mother's hospital room. The older woman smiled and pushed herself up with a great effort that he could see in the muscles on her neck. But humans without great senses would only see a graceful rise. And Kurama could even feel Yusuke's hackles raise as they watched the woman lift herself into an upright sitting position. This boy was something else. He could see the strain Kurama's mother was undergoing.

"Oh, Shuichi! Sana, my sweethearts. Oh, did you bring a friend? It's been so long since you've brought anyone else to visit." He could feel Yusuke's thought processes whirling as the boy put his mind to the paces trying to decipher why this woman had called Kurama "Shuichi" and was talking to this baby girl in Kurama's arms like they were a big, happy family.

"Shall I peel an apple for you?" They talked for a few minutes as Kurama peeled an apple, with Yusuke having awkwardly taken Sana. The girl was crawling all over the Spirit Detective, playing with a fluff of that slicked-back black hair like he was her favorite new toy. It was cute to see, but Kurama couldn't focus on that. After they'd all finished talking, Kurama took Sana back, and he went up to the roof with her and Yusuke after excusing himself as Yusuke said goodbye. As soon as they got to the roof, Yusuke was up in arms.

"Why don't you start explaining yourself! I'm not exactly patient and this whole situation is weird! Who is that woman down there? And what's with that baby? Why'd she call you Shuichi!?" Kurama only chuckled at the boy, with his hackles raised. Yet he was trying to be patient. With his patient impatience, Kurama couldn't help but laugh at him. Yusuke was instantly put out.

"That woman is my mother... sort of. And this young lady in my arms was adopted by that woman after she was left on our doorstep December of last year. That woman has raised me for fifteen years.. while I have deceived her." Sana would never remember this conversation, right? He went on to explain about his past to the young detective, and what had happened to him that caused this merger. And then about his reasons for loving that woman, about the incident all those years ago that had led to her saving his life and the price she'd paid. It was the reason he was so attached, despite being a demon in a human cloak. Yusuke just stared, often making comments, but otherwise giving nods and noises of understanding.

"She gave me everything... and I've taken so much from her." He finished direly. But before anything else could be said, a nurse burst through the door to the roof, calling for him. His mother had taken a turn for the worse, and the doctor said that tonight was probably her last night.

"So... you'll use it tonight." Yusuke said when they were all alone. Kurama's only confirmation was to go back up to the roof with a little baby who looked very concerned(though he didn't see that look on her face), and pull the Forlorn Hope out of his pocket and stare at it. And now he could see Sana's face. He looked at her and then kissed her cheek.

"You don't need me. You need her... and I can't do anything for you without her. Wouldn't you be better off with mother than me?" He knew she couldn't answer, and probably didn't really understand, but she grabbed his forelock. He closed his eyes and then settled Sana onto the roof before putting the Forlorn Hope down. Yusuke had just arrived and settled on one knee by Sana, making sure the baby didn't go anywhere.

"So... I hear there's a price for using that thing. What is it?"

"... Life." He said simply. Elsewhere in the known universes, a bluenette had just learned this same fact and was screaming at her boss about how Yusuke needed to know this as she rushed off to come and find him.

"So you're gonna sacrifice yourself to that mirror to save her? Haven't you thought this through?" Kurama turned his gaze sideways and stared at the boy.

"What else can I do? She'll die if I don't do this." But Yusuke wasn't ready to give that up.

"Yeah, But what's the point of her living if you aren't there?!" He yelled.

"She has Sana to take care of." It was his only justification.

"Sana? Yeah, sure, she has the baby, but you're her son!! She raised you for fifteen years, right? Even if she has a baby to take care of, that doesn't mean she'll be any less sad for the death of her son!!" It was too late. The Forlorn Hope's mirror had lit up with the light of the full moon and Kurama's resolve was unshaken.

"Forlorn Hope, I ask you to wake from your slumber and hear my plea!" He called as his hand braced in mid-air over the mirror for the rush of magic.

"The happiness of this woman... is that what you desire?" The mirror asked conscientiously.

"Yes." He answered.

"The price is your life. Is this what you wish?" It asked again, and it seemed his very soul was being sucked into the mirror for a moment.

"Yes. If it means she will be well again.." he replied. The Forlorn Hope said nothing, but a brace of lightning jolted out of the mirror and covered his entire body.

 _For you... mother..._ his thought process was interrupted by a sudden grunt and his eyes re-opened, though he didn't know when they had fallen shut, to Yusuke's hand hovering over the mirror.

"Hey Mirror guy! Listen up! I want you to take half of my life and half of Kurama's! That way he can live and still get his wish!" Kurama's eyes widened at this and he stared at the boy.

"This doesn't make any sense!! It's my wish!" He yelled to the black-haired moron.

"Yeah, well, it doesn't make any sense to give up your life so that your mom can spend the rest of her life mourning yours!! I've seen a mom devastated by the loss of her kid and I won't see it again! Not if I can help it!" Yusuke screamed at him. And Kurama could smell the salt as tears welled up in the corner of the boy's eyes. His voice breaking as the sentence went on. The mirror said nothing, but the power swelled and Kurama blacked out. A few moments later, he awoke to nothing but quiet and a baby pulling on his forelocks. He pushed himself up, a little stiff and slightly sore, but his thoughts turned to his mom and he grabbed Sana and ran downstairs as quick as possible to the doctors telling him that it was a miracle that his mother was even alive, but she was coming out of the state she was in and it even seemed like she was going to make a full recovery...

"Mother..." he almost couldn't believe it, but he went to her and put his hand in her own.

"You're going to be okay..." he said, almost in disbelief. He didn't have to die to do this, and that was something he hadn't expected. He could still protect these two important people... that boy was a **_fucking genius._**


End file.
